A year ago this week, a violent crackdown by security forces and Buddhist militias against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar reached its peak. Many thousands are estimated to have died as a result, while 700,000 were forced to flee the country. The anniversary serves as a reminder of vulnerable communities around the world – refugees, the disabled, victims of abuse.

This week the Upside explored stories of how technology, harnessed by a few dedicated pioneers, can come to the aid of the marginalised and disenfranchised.

After the events of a year ago, tens of thousands of Rohingya were left stranded over the border in Bangladesh without identification documents. Without ID, refugees can’t access social programmes, legal rights, education or healthcare. Skot Thayer reported on a new project using blockchain technology – which as been much hyped but little understood – to create decentralised digital identity records.

In India, cinema is a national obsession. But without laws to guarantee their right to audio descriptions, the country’s 8.8 million blind people and 47.7 million visually impaired citizens have been excluded. But a new app could provide a solution, as Priti Salian discovered in Bangalore.